Derby regains its soul

ecstasy of the winners and the agony of the losers, something special stood out at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
Yes, the Harare derby discovered its soul yesterday.
There was something beautiful about the quality of the game, displayed by both sides, on an afternoon when the two giants dished out a dish so tasty we all cried for more.

After the reverse fixture at the same stadium last month turned into a yawn, there was pressure on both sides to deliver.
And they came with all guns blazing, with beauty characterising their movements while, refreshingly, the ball spent more time on the ground than in the air.
CAPS United bossed the midfield, for long periods in the first half, and were full value for the superiority they enjoyed.

Stephen Alimenda, Tendai Samanje, Marvel Samaneka, David Rediyoni and Asani Nhongo enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and, working as a unit, provided the fuel that ran the green machine.
There was a spring in their step, their movement was fluid, their passing assured and they ran rings around their opponents for the better part of the first half.
With Dynamos crippled by the absence of Archford Gutu, who left for trials in Sweden on Saturday, and Murape Murape in subdued mode, caps seized the initiative in midfield.

And they should have been rewarded when the impressive Samaneka escaped his marker down the right and laid a perfect pass to Gwekwerere.
But, not for the last time that afternoon, the connection by the centre forward was horrible and the chance, as golden as they come, was blown.
In such games, it’s such chances that matter and, as Mutuma proved later in the second half with his conversion, it makes a big difference.

For the neutrals, looking for something to cheer their spirits, there was a move by Samaneka, down the left channel, which caught the eye.
Shielded by Thomas Magorimbo, down the line, Samaneka had to manufacture an escape alley where space was non-existent.
What he did, to find a way through, was simply magical.

Squeezing the ball between both feet, he used his artistry to flick it over his marker and, in the blink of an eye, he was through.
Poor Magorimbo didn’t know what had hit him and, as he battled to come back to his senses and adjust to the humiliation, the noise coming from the noisy CAPSS United fans must have rubbed salt into the gashing wounds.

While Dynamos were clearly being overrun in midfield, they were not giving up the fight and were dangerous every time they counter attacked.
To their credit, they created the best move of the first half when a flowing five-man move opened the suspect CAPS United defence and Martin Vengesayi should have scored when he got to the end of it all.
But giant keeper Eddie Sibanda dived low to his right to make a decisive touch and push the ball out for a corner.

The quality of that move, the execution of the shot and the brilliance of the save epitomised the beauty of the general pattern of play.
As the players trooped off for the break, the disappointment of it all was that the fans didn’t give them a standing ovation.
Yes, there had been no goals but both teams had done more in 45 minutes than they did in 90 minutes of mediocrity in that first game.

Something had to give in and the impressive Rediyoni was unlucky when a thunderous drive, from a free-kick taken from distance, crashed against the crossbar.
CAPS were sensing blood and the excitement levels built up, in the bays housing their fans, while there was stone silence where DeMbare fans were.
Gwekwerere, for the second time that afternoon, was presented with a golden chance to break the dreadlock but, from just inside the box, he incredibly directed his effort wide.

That was cruel on the caps united fans and you felt nature would make them pay for that.
But Gwekwerere redeemed himself, at a time Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe had started to warm up Leonard Tsipa as a possible replacement.
With reports in the VIP enclosure suggesting Gwekwerere was short on pace, and strength, after a late night out on Friday, those baying for the forward’s blood were silenced.

Rediyoni fired another powerful volley and ‘keeper Washington Arubi made a mess of his attempt to save it, the ball bouncing off his chest and dropping nicely for Gwekwerere.
He connected first time, crashing his shot into the roof of the nets to give caps united the breakthrough they deserved.

Suddenly those who had been mocking Gwekwerere were eating humble pie as the ‘Gwekwerere bhora’ signature tune rang out from the CAPS bays.
Dynamos looked shattered and, without a midfield to fashion out their response, it looked like CAPS would double their advantage.

But, crucially, the CAPS defence kept giving Dynamos hope and, tragically for the Green Machine, they didn’t replace Nyasha Mukumbi when he complained of a groin strain.
With Jongwe not changing his tactics, after taking the lead, and prefering to go for blow for blow, there was always a danger they could be caught out.
And Mutuma made them pay, making full use of the weaknesses created in central defence by Mukumbi’s injury, to finish with aplomb after some lovely inter play.

From a distance where Gwekwerere had directed his shot wide, Mutuma converted with conviction and, suddenly the game was all square.
The spring was now in the Dynamos step and, backed by their fans, they looked for the killer second.

Still the quality, in both teams’ play, remained high and, at that point, we all felt a draw would be a fair result.
But, having won in the dying moments in the first game, dynamos felt it could be done again.

And so did their fans.
Jongwe pulled out Rediyoni, and everything that he had built that afternoon, collapsed around him as his team lost the hold in midfield.

And, when Mutuma was presented with a good chance to win it, at the very end of the contest, he didn’t fluff it, burying it with the killer instinct of a seasoned gunslinger.
There was no coming back for CAPS United whose gallant efforts, in one of their best performances this season, came to nought.
There was still time for Tsipa to be booked, and possibly sent off, but all that was now just a sideshow.

The big story had already been written and Lloyd Mutasa was once again a hero.
For some of us, the neutrals, what mattered was not the spectacular smash and grab from a dynamos team that showed championship winning character against their biggest rivals.

What mattered to us was that the Harare derby was still alive and well.
CAPS United will rise from their challenged and, if they can play at this level, they will win more games. But dreams of a championship are now gone and the cruelty of it all is that they could have revived their campaign yesterday.

For the 68th Harare Derby remember Mutuma, who took his chances and made a difference, and Gwekwerere who missed his chances.
And, of course, a very, very good game that was a credit to all the men who have made this derby such a special fixture.